Suspension means for electric-lighting fixtures



l. L. PARK. SUSPENSION MEANS FOR ELECTRIC LIGHTING FIXTURES.

APPLICATION FILED [AN- 28, I920- 1,394,575. Patented 001;. 25, 1921.

M000 NV) gwvenloz:

Ina L. Park,

UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

SUSPENSION MEANS FOR ELECTRIC-LIGHTING FIXTURES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 25, 1921'.

Application filed January 28, 1920. Serial No. 354,627.

T all whom it may concern:

lie it known that I, IRA L. PARK, a citizen of the Jnited States, and resident of the city of Washington, District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Suspension Means for Electric- Lighting Fixtures, of which the following is wires are invisible to the eye.

The invention consists of the features and combinations hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a view of an electric fixture, including a link chain suspension means, the electric conducting wires being indicated by dotted lines, these being within the links of the chain.

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view of several links and the upper hanger or suspension device combined therewith.

Fig. 3 isa sectional view of the two parts of a link separated from each other.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of eyelets forming a part of my combination.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a portion of the two members of a link with one of the eyelets in place and in section.

Referring to Fig. l, 1 indicates generally the upper hanger, 2 indicates generally the chain made up of links and 8 indicates generally the electric lamp fixture which is suspended by the chain.

The links are of substantially ordinary shape and interlace, one with another, substantially as ordinary links of chains do and the conducting wires are concealed within these links, running from link to link and from the upper hanger l to the lamp in the fixture 3. These conducting wires are indicated generally by the dotted lines 4 in Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 3, the links are made up of two sections 5, 6, each of which is hollow and of like formation throughout. The halt-link 5 is provided with a reduced extension or nipple 7 at its upper end, with a recess in its outer side at 8. This nipple is 4 also recessed at 9. The other end of the half-link 5 is provided with a socket portion 10 of an internal diameter equal to the external diameter of the nipple or reduced extension 7. This socket has a proection 11 on its interior. The socket also has a recess or notch at 12, formed through its wall. The half-link 6 is formed precisely like the half-link 5 but, as shown at Fig. 3, in assembling the two half links they are reversed in position so that the socket portion 10 at theupper end of the half-link 6 will receive the reduced extension or nipple 7 of the halt-link 5, and when pressed together the projection 11 on the socket portion will snap in the recess 8 in the nipple and a similar action will take place at the lower end of the link so that the two halflinks will be held together.

Previous, however, to snapping the two half-links together, an eyelet such as shown at the left in Fig. l at 13, will be placed between the two half-links in the cut-outs or notches 9 and 12 thereof, so that as shown in Fig. 2 this eyelet will be held in place, it being understood that the conducting wires held preferably in one insulated conductor will be threaded through the eyelet and through one of the half-links. The upper link of the series will be combined with the hollow ring link portion let of the upper hanger and a nipple or eyelet shown at 15 is arranged at the junction between the upper link and the said hollow ring-shaped portion of the upper hanger, so that the wire conductors will pass through the eyelet 15 from the hollow ring-shaped hanger into the upper part of the upper link, thence through one of the half-links to the lower part thereof, thence up through the eyelet shown at 13, Fig. 2, into the second link, thence through this second link and up through the eyelet into the upper portion of the third link and so on throughout the whole chain.

Fig. 5 illustrates the joint between the lower portion of the half-links, the eyelet being shown in section.

It will be seen from the above that the links when assembled present the appearance of ordinary interlaced links of a chain and that the conducting 'wires are com pletely concealed within the hollow link members.

At the right of Fig. 4 the eyelet is shown with a double flange construction 19 and 20. This eyelet is adapted to be used between the upper part of the first or upper link and the hollow ring-shaped hanger as shown in Fig. 2. The other eyelet shown at the left of Fig. 4 has a flange at the top and bottom and this form of eyelet is adapted for use between links themselves as shown at 13 in Fig. 2. 7

It will be understood that the illustration and description contained herein is presented in an illustrative way and is not to be regarded as restrictive of the scope of my invention to the particular forms of construction shown, the range of my invention being set forth in the accompanying claims.

It will be observed T that the suspension chain as built up with the hollow link members presents the appearance of an ordinary chain and has not the appearance of an imitation construction. The links perform the function of ordinary links in that each link hollow links, each of which isv composed of two sections separable from each other at the center of its upper and lower part where it crosses the adjacent link, with means to hold the separable sections together, and each link having an opening at the point of crossing for the threading of the electric wire from link to link, substantially as described.

2. A suspension chain for electric lighting fixtures, comprising hollowlinks interlaced with each other, each link being composed of two sections separable from each other at its upper and lower part where it crosses the adjacent link, means for holding the sections together and an eyelet held by and between the meeting ends of the sections of the links, substantially as described.

3. A suspension chain for electric lighting fixtures comprising hollow links each being divided at its upper and lower portions where it crosses the adjacent link, one end of one section fitting in asocket in the end of its companion section with means for holding said sectionstogether, openings being provided at the crossing points of the links, through which the lighting wire is threaded, substantially as described.

4. A suspension chain for electric lighting fixtures comprising hollow links each being divided at its upper and lower portion where it crosses the adjacent link, one end of one section fitting in a socket in the end of its companion section, with means for holding said sections together, openings being'provided at the crossing points of the links, through which the lighting wire is threaded, said means consisting of a projection on one section and a recess on thecompanion section, so thatthe sections may be snapped together, substantially as described. 7

5. In combination in a chain, hollow links,

divided at their upper and lower portions where they cross, the ends of the sections thus formed having recesses which match each other, a flanged hollow eyelet held in said recesses, and means for holding the sections together, substantially as described.

7 In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

IRA: L.v PARK. 

